Chromatography lab system for analyzing samples including a cooling compartment with an identifying device that identifies a fraction collector device

ABSTRACT

A chromatography lab system comprising a cooling compartment arranged to hold both fraction collector devices and sample containers, whereby the cooling compartment comprises an identifying device which is arranged to identify the fraction collector devices such that fractions from the chromatography are collected only in the fraction collector devices.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a chromatography lab system comprisinga cooling compartment and to a method in a chromatography lab system.

BACKGROUND

In chromatography lab systems the samples that are fed to thechromatography column are often positioned outside the system. In someapplications the sample needs to be cooled.

This is sometimes solved by for example using external refrigerators orice baths for the sample. This adds complexity to the chromatography labsystem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the invention is to provide a convenient and compactchromatography lab system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a functional method forcooling sample in a chromatography lab system.

This is achieved in a chromatography lab system comprising a coolingcompartment arranged to hold both fraction collector devices and samplecontainers, whereby the cooling compartment comprises an identifyingdevice which is arranged to identify the fraction collector devices suchthat fractions from the chromatography are collected only in thefraction collector devices.

This is also achieved in a method for cooling samples in achromatography lab system comprising the steps of:

-   -   placing a sample container in the same cooling compartment as        fraction collector devices are stored in, and    -   identifying the fraction collector devices such that fractions        are collected only in the fraction collector devices.

Hereby samples can be cooled in the same cooling compartment as is usedfor the fractions without the risk of mixing them.

In one embodiment the cooling compartment comprises at least two holderpositions, into which holder positions different types of holders foreither fraction collector devices or sample containers can bepositioned, whereby the identifying device is arranged to identify ifthe holder is arranged to hold fraction collector devices.

In one embodiment the cooling compartment comprises a tray comprisingthe at least two holder positions.

In one embodiment each holder position can be used for either fractioncollector device holders or sample container holders and this can bechanged between different runs of the chromatography system. Hereby aflexible system is provided where the user himself can decide how to usethe space in the cooling compartment for different occasions.

In one embodiment at least the holders that are arranged to holdfraction collector devices are provided with codes that are read by theidentifying device.

In one embodiment the cooling compartment comprises at least one portwhere a sample tube can enter the cooling compartment.

In one embodiment the step of identifying comprises identifying if aholder provided into the cooling compartment is arranged to holdfraction collector devices.

In one embodiment the sample containers can be placed in any one of anumber of holder positions provided in the cooling compartment.

In one embodiment the method further comprises to simultaneouslyfractioning into the fraction collector devices and transferring samplefrom the sample containers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a chromatography lab system according toone embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a tray comprising holders in a coolingcompartment according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the positions in a tray according to oneembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Fraction collector devices have previously been provided in a coolingcompartment in chromatography lab systems. Fractions are often collectedautomatically by a dispenser head into tubes or deep wells. Thedispenser head is moved automatically in a specific pattern to collectthe fractions in the different tubes or deep wells. The temperature inthe cooling compartment can suitably be varied in dependence of whattemperature is optimal for the collected fractions.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a chromatography lab system 10 accordingto one embodiment of the invention. A cooling compartment 12 is providedin the system. A front wall 14 to the cooling compartment can be seen inFIG. 1. The front wall 14 comprises according to the invention at leastone port 16 through which a tube for sample can be provided.

The chromatography lab system according to the invention comprises acooling compartment 12 arranged to hold both fraction collector devicesand sample containers. The cooling compartment 12 comprises anidentifying device 40 as depicted in FIG. 1, which is arranged toidentify the fraction collector devices such that fractions from thechromatography are collected only in the fraction collector devices andnot in the sample containers. According to one embodiment, theidentifying device 40 can be arranged above and adjacent to the frontwall 14.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an example tray 31 comprised in a coolingcompartment according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is aschematic view of the bottom of such a tray as shown in FIG. 2. The tray31 comprises a number of holder positions 33 into which holders 35 thatare designed for holding either fraction collector devices or samplecontainers are supposed to be positioned. Alternatively no tray isprovided in the cooling compartment 12 and instead the holder positions33 are provided directly on the floor or a bottom part of the coolingcompartment. The holders 35 are here called fraction collector deviceholders 35 a and sample container holders 35 b. The number of holderpositions 33 is here shown to be six, but any number would be possible,for example 2,3,4,5 or even more than 6. The holders 35 can be designeddifferently to hold different types of fraction collector devices andsample containers, for example tubes or deep wells of different sizesand numbers and sample containers of different sizes.

The cooling compartment comprises an identifying device 40 as depictedin FIG. 1, which is arranged to identify the fraction collector devicessuch that fractions are only provided in the fraction collector devicesand not in any sample containers. For example codes can be provided toat least the fraction collector device holders 35 a. These codes shouldidentify these holders as fraction collector device holders and theidentifying device 40 provided in the cooling compartment 12 reads thecode and determines that fractions can be provided in these holders. Ifsample container holders 35 b are not provided with any identificationsuch as code, fractions will not be provided there because these holderscannot be identified by the identifying device 40 as a fractioncollector device holder. Another alternative would be to provide alsosample container holders 35 b with a code that is identifying theseholders as sample container holders and not as fraction collector deviceholders. Also in this case the result is that fractions not are providedinto these holders.

In one embodiment of the invention the holder positions can be used forany type of holder and this can be changed between each run of thechromatography system. This means that all six positions can be used forfraction collection in one run and in another run any number of thepositions can be used for holding samples that need to be cooled.

Sample can be taken from the sample containers through a tube providedthrough the port 16 in the cooling compartment wall at any time and evenat the same time as fractions are collected. The distribution offractions into the fraction collector devices is usually providedthrough a dispenser head provided in the cooling compartment.

This cooling compartment that can be used both for cooling fractions andsamples provides a more convenient and compact chromatography labsystem. External refrigerators or ice baths are avoided. The flexibilityin the use of the different holder positions in the tray provides for aflexible system. The user can utilize the limited space in the coolingcompartment in an optimal way for each different need in differentchromatography runs.

What is claimed is:
 1. A chromatography laboratory system comprising: acooling compartment comprising: at least two holder positions configuredto hold both fraction collector devices for collectingchromatographically separated fractions and sample containers forproviding samples for input into the chromatography laboratory system,and an identifying device comprising a reader configured to readidentifying information assigned to the fraction collector devices, todetermine that fractions can be supplied to the fraction collectiondevices, such that said fractions are collected only in the fractioncollector devices and not in the sample containers.
 2. A chromatographylaboratory system according to claim 1, wherein the cooling compartmentcomprises a plurality of holders in the at least two holder positions,wherein the holder positions are configured to hold different types offraction collector devices or sample containers, whereby the identifyingdevice is arranged to identify if a respective holder of the pluralityof holders is arranged to hold fraction collector devices.
 3. Achromatography laboratory system according to claim 2, wherein thecooling compartment comprises a tray comprising the at least two holderpositions.
 4. A chromatography laboratory system according to claim 3,wherein each of the at least two holder positions is configured to holdeither fraction collector device holders or sample container holders anda type of holder is changeable between different runs of thechromatography lab system.
 5. A chromatography laboratory systemaccording to claim 4, wherein at least the holders that are arranged tohold fraction collector devices are provided with codes that arereadable by the identifying device.
 6. A chromatography laboratorysystem according to claim 5, wherein the cooling compartment comprisesat least one port where a sample tube can enter the cooling compartment.7. A method for cooling samples in a chromatography laboratory systemcomprising a plurality of cooling compartments, comprising the steps of:placing a sample container in the same cooling compartment as fractioncollector devices are stored in, holding, via at least two holderpositions, both the fraction collector devices for collectingchromatographically separated fractions and sample containers forproviding samples for input into the chromatography laboratory system,and reading identifying information assigned to the fraction collectordevices via an identifying device comprising a reader, at the samecooling compartment, to determine that fractions can be supplied to thefraction collector devices such that the fractions are collected only inthe fraction collector devices and not in the sample containers.
 8. Amethod according to claim 7, wherein the step of identifying comprisesidentifying if a holder provided into the cooling compartment isarranged to hold fraction collector devices.
 9. A method according toclaim 8, wherein the sample containers can be placed in any one of anumber of holder positions of the at least two holder positions providedin the cooling compartment.
 10. A method according to claim 9, furthercomprising to simultaneously fractioning into the fraction collectordevices and transferring sample from the sample containers.